SJ0036

LRB096 07420 JDS 17507 r






1

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
2
    WHEREAS, Article XI, Section 1 of the Illinois Constitution 
3
states, "The public policy of the State and the duty of each 
4
person is to provide and maintain a healthful environment for 
5
the benefit of this and future generations"; and

 
6
    WHEREAS, A capital construction program is urgently needed 
7
and would fix aging infrastructure in Illinois, create jobs for 
8
working men and women, and stimulate the economy; and

 
9
    WHEREAS, Previous capital construction proposals have 
10
called for as much as $34 billion in spending; and

 
11
    WHEREAS, The potentially massive public expenditure 
12
involved in a capital plan represents a once-in-a-generation 
13
opportunity to modernize and improve the basic infrastructure 
14
of our State; and

 
15
    WHEREAS, The 21st century has already witnessed the 
16
development of technologies that promise to improve 
17
significantly the energy efficiency of buildings; to limit the 
18
environmental impact of new roads, bridges, and structures; to 
19
bring information technology resources to underserved areas; 
20
and to conserve and manage water resources; and

 
 


 






SJ0036
- 2 -
LRB096 07420 JDS 17507 r




1
    WHEREAS, Previous capital proposals have allocated vast 
2
financial resources to projects unguided by the principles of 
3
environmental protection, energy efficiency, and 
4
sustainability; and
 
5
    WHEREAS, Numerous scientific studies have concluded that 
6
the health of our people can be directly affected by the 
7
products used in our buildings and that utilizing alternative 
8
green products can greatly reduce the risk of health problems 
9
caused by, among other things, volatile organic compounds; and
 
10
    WHEREAS, Green and sustainable principles and practices 
11
promote environmental health and offer significant energy 
12
savings; therefore, be it

 
13
    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
14
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
15
CONCURRING HEREIN, that the General Assembly, together with the 
16
Governor, ought to make passage of a green and sustainable 
17
comprehensive capital construction plan a top priority; and be 
18
it further

 
19
    RESOLVED, That the principles of environmental health, 
20
environmental protection, energy efficiency, and 
21
sustainability ought to guide the allocation of all funds in 
22
any capital construction plan; and be it further
 
 


 






SJ0036
- 3 -
LRB096 07420 JDS 17507 r




1
    RESOLVED, That in providing funding for the construction of 
2
new buildings or the renovation of existing buildings, the law 
3
should require builders to adhere to sustainable building 
4
standards including the U.S. Green Building Council's 
5
Leadership in Environment and Energy Design (LEED) standards or 
6
substantially equivalent standards; and be it further
 
7
    RESOLVED, That in determining the allocation of 
8
transportation funding, the State should give due 
9
consideration to new public transportation, including  rail, in 
10
the interest of planning  sustainable transportation 
11
infrastructure for a more densely-populated society; and be it 
12
further
 
13
    RESOLVED, That in providing for the construction and 
14
improvement of roads, the State should prioritize the laying of 
15
fiber-optic lines, particularly to rural areas and other 
16
regions of the State historically lacking in technological 
17
infrastructure; and be it further
 
18
    RESOLVED, That the State should consider and prioritize 
19
each project in light of its potential to create jobs, its 
20
environmental impact, and its long-term energy savings.